1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a picture hanging device comprising cooperable male and female members formed of resilient plastic material and being secured, respectively, to the rear surface of a picture frame and to a wall. The male member is characterized by a fixed or movable spacing portion protruding beyond an integral, vertically depending tongue. The tongue is received within a slot formed on the female member such that the spacing portion contacts an upper guiding portion provided on the female member above the slot. A portion of the tongue remains exposed above the slot when fully inserted therein, that portion being outwardly deflected whereby the lower edge of the picture frame is urged into interfering contact with the wall. The slot is slightly wider than the tongue, allowing the picture frame to be easily adjusted by pivoting of the tongue within the slot
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several prior art patents disclose hanging devices wherein a member secured to an object to be hung is provided with a flange or tongue that is received within a cavity formed on a female member secured to a support surface. U.S. Pat. No. 2,402,717 to Winer discloses a panel which may be mounted on a wall by inserting bracket members which are secured to the panel into bracket engaging members which are secured to the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,355 to Topf discloses a wall hanger comprising a pair of like members, each of which is provided with a tongue and a slotted portion. The members may be secured, respectively, to an object to be hung and to a wall such that the tongue of one member may be inserted into the slotted portion of the other member. A similar picture hanging bracket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,525 to Rath wherein a pair of like complementary parts cooperate such that the post of one part is received within a recess formed in the other part.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,116 to Fellows discloses a picture hanger comprising a tapered tongue member which is arranged for attachment to the back surface of a picture to be hung. A bracket member defining a tapered socket for the tongue is arranged for attachment to a picture-supporting surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,998 to Rytting discloses a picture hanger comprising first and second mating components adapted to be secured, respectively, to a picture back and to a wall. The first component includes a hooking bar which may be received within the space formed between the second component and the wall.
It is also known in the prior art to provide a picture hanging device wherein a tongue secured to the back of a frame is adapted to be received within a channel secured to the support surface such that the tongue moves toward the support surface causing the lower edge of the frame to contact thereagainst. See U.S. Pat. No. 2,965,339 to Denton.
None of the prior art devices, however, discloses a picture hanging member that is provided with a novel spacing portion and uniquely configured tongue and slot as utilized by the picture hanging device of the present invention.